Judge Rinder star Rob Rinder has opened up about his close relationship with BBC Radio 2 presenter and Celebrity Gogglebox star Rylan Clark, and the impact it has had on his life
Rob Rinder has revealed that people often feel a “sense of disappointment” when they meet him in public without Rylan Clark by his side.
The 47-year-old has formed a tight-knit friendship with fellow telly presenter Rylan over the past few years. Their three-part series Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour was broadcast in May 2024.
The BAFTA TV Award-winning show saw an emotional Rylan discussing his divorce from ex-husband Dan Neal. The BBC Radio 2 star has since described his journey around Italy with Rob as being “like therapy”, confessing he “wasn’t fully over” the break up.
There have been whispers about a potential romance between the two, but Rylan recently clarified that they are “just friends”. This came as he paid a heartfelt tribute to Judge Rinder star Rob on his birthday, expressing that he “loves him dearly”.
Now, during a fresh chat between the duo on Radio 2, Rob disclosed that fans are often let down when he attends events without former X Factor star Rylan. He shared this insight while calling into Rylan’s Saturday afternoon programme.
Rob said: “I keep walking up to people and they know, obviously, that we’re friends, but you can feel the slight sense of disappointment that they’re like, ‘Oh where’s Rylan?’ As if I’m the warm-up act. I’m like the rubbish warm-up act that no one shows up for.”
Rylan, aged 36, responded: “But Rob, that’s what I get. Everyone goes, ‘Oh, where’s Rob? Where’s Rob?’”.
Before their Italian tour together, both Rob and Rylan experienced painful separations. The programme saw them opening up about their experiences as they bonded over a drink.
After scooping a BAFTA, Rylan opened up about his personal life, saying: “For me, the show, it happened at a really weird time for me like I still wasn’t fully over sort of the breakdown of my marriage and was flung with the judge. It was the best therapy I needed, put it that way.”
Rylan continued: “I think the journey, and I hate that word in telly but it’s so true, when you watch our series, that journey from when we meet to sort of how raw, especially I was at that time.”
Meanwhile, Rob, who celebrated his wedding to former spouse Seth Cummings in 2013 with none other than Benedict Cumberbatch leading the ceremony, later parted ways with his partner in 2018, with sources describing the split as “very sad”.
Launching into TV fame with Judge Rinder in 2014, Rob has since danced his way onto shows like Strictly Come Dancing, enjoyed a spot on Celebrity Gogglebox, and popped up on Good Morning Britain.
Keeping his legal wits sharp, he also serves as a junior counsel at London’s prestigious 2 Hare Court. Meanwhile, Rylan first came into the limelight during 2012’s X Factor run.
Post-X Factor fame saw him enter the Celebrity Big Brother house in January 2013, shortly after his singing contest stint, and he’s since become a familiar face on programmes such as This Morning.
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